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Bethany escorted Ann into the cabin and walked past the front desk to the back room. As they moved through the large gathering room, Jack’s gaze quickly took in the space filled with old game tables, a worn sofa, and bookshelves crammed with paperbacks. They walked toward the minuscule bathroom on the first floor.

Seating Ann, she wet a washcloth and turned to wipe her grandmother’s face. Hearing a noise next to her, she was startled seeing Jack standing in the doorway. “What are you still doing here?” she asked, stepping in front of Ann again.

“If I wanted to harm you two, I would have already done so,” he responded.

Licking her lips, she nodded. “Yes, I suppose that’s right.” Wiping Ann’s face with the warm, wet cloth, she glanced back over her shoulder. “I…I should apologize. She hasn’t wandered in a while, and well, I…I lost her.”

Ann patted her hand, “Did I do something wrong, Bethany?”

Her granddaughter looked sharply at her and smiled. “No, Gram.” Turning her head back to Jack, she whispered, “She remembers me now.”

She gifted him with a smile, and this time he was startled. Her blue eyes pierced his, and her beauty astonished him. Not that he was unused to beautiful women, but he had spent so much time building his business that his base needs were met with the occasional consenting woman. But he always made sure they understood the rules—no attachments. His lifestyle and business did not accommodate entanglements. The women he had been with were certainly attractive, but not like this. Her face, bare of makeup, was perfection…only marred by the few scratches from the thorny bushes.

Shaking his head to clear the musing, he stepped back. The last thing he needed was a neighbor getting too nosy. Preferring to keep his life simple, he looked down on her sternly again. “Here, let me help,” he said gruffly, gently pushing by Bethany, taking the antibiotic ointment out of her hands. “How long was she out there?”

Bethany, stinging from the obvious disapproval, snapped, “Only about twenty minutes. Why? Do you think I just let her wander for hours?”

“No, I was wondering if she needed fluids. She may be dehydrated.”

“Oh.” Embarrassed she had not thought of that possibility, she stared at the man who spoke so roughly and yet his hands were so gentle with Gram. Deciding she could trust him, she left the room, moving to the small refrigerator in the office. Snagging a water bottle, she glanced at the mirror on the wall, its old wooden frame built by her grandfather from barn wood.

Her reflection dismayed her. Long blonde hair, mostly falling out of her braid and tangled around her face. A scratch was on her forehead, dried blood crusting around the edges. Leaning closer, she saw a few twigs nestled in her hair as well. Wow, you’re a real stunner, she said to herself. No wonder he looked at me in disgust. Her mind went back to the other men on his property. Now that the adrenaline rush of finding her Gram was over, she was able to see more clearly what had been in front of her. All seven were tall, well built. Some were huge, others leaner, but all looked more than powerful enough to take on whatever might have come across that fence. Armed for bear and only caught Gram and me. She had to giggle at the thought.

Then there was the man that drove them back…an eighth handsome man.

“So, why did I only fixate on the one holding me? Sighing deeply, she chastised herself as she looked in the mirror again. Whatever. I don’t care what he thinks of me!

She turned and walked back to the bathroom, wondering how a man so large could squat in such a small space with Gram. He was speaking softly to Ann and had her face and arms cleaned and medicated.

“I think you’re going to be fine,” he said as he assisted her up from the seat. Ann looked up and patted his arm.

“You’re a good man, Charlie,” she said with a smile. Seeing Bethany behind him, she walked over and took the water bottle held out for her.

“Come on, Gram, let me get you upstairs. You should have a little rest,” Bethany said, glad when Ann did not protest.

Having to lean back to keep her gaze on Jack’s face, she said, “I should thank you. I know I reacted badly…I was just scared for her?—”

“No need to apologize,” he replied, not able to take his eyes off her.

Licking her lips nervously, she self-consciously ran her hand over her messy braid. “Well, okay then. Thank you…um?”

“Jack. Jack Bryant.”

Nodding, she offered a small smile. “Thank you, Jack. Goodbye then.”

He stepped closer, his feet moving on their own, and peered down into her eyes. She was a head shorter than he was. If she were in my arms, her head would be tucked under my chin and her cheek would be against my heartbeat.

“Make sure you take care of those scratches,” he said, his hand lifting to her forehead brushing the strands of blonde to the side, exposing her own injuries.

Unable to find her voice, she swallowed deeply and nodded. Then, holding Ann’s hand, she led the older woman to the staircase on the side of the room.

A small sign at the bottom of the stairs read Private – no guests allowed upstairs. He shook his head, incredulous that those two defenseless women thought the sign would keep someone from going up to where they lived to possibly harm them if they wanted .

Walking back out to the porch, he looked around carefully as he waited for his ride back. The gravel lot in front of the main lodge meandered off to the right and he could see the first A-frame cabin in sight amongst the trees. Having studied the area before he purchased his property, he knew the gravel drive circled a small lake covering several acres and had ten A-frame cabins along the way. The road came back into the main lot from the left. The water had a few canoes and paddleboats, now tied to a dock. The place looked neat and well-kept, but the years had taken their toll on the buildings.

The Saint’s SUV pulled in front of the lodge, and he hauled himself into the passenger side, nodding to Luke, who was driving again.

“They okay?” Luke asked.

Jack nodded slowly, his eyes still sharply looking around. “You all get anything yet?”

“Yeah, thought you’d want a debriefing when we got back.”

“Good. I hate like hell that woman got through, but she exposed a weakness in our facility that we can learn from.”

A few minutes later, he and Luke joined the rest of the men in the basement command center of his house.

Chad began, “We went back to the fence where Mrs. Bridwell crossed. We need to increase the security cameras to focus on that wooded area, near where the creek is. Almost the entire perimeter is on camera and yet she managed to find the one area that was mostly out of sight. ”

“Going to take care of fixing the problem tomorrow, boss,” Cam said with Bart nodding.

Luke, looking up from his computer screen asked, “You want to know what I found out?”

Jack nodded and turned his attention to his computer expert, knowing Luke would be able to ferret out all the information.

“Ann Bridwell, widow of Martin Bridwell. They married in 1957 and bought the land in 1958 with his Army savings. Loans were easy for military personnel to get housing and property back then. They built the lodge to live in and then the other cabins. Did most of the work themselves and hired local help with the more difficult construction. As soon as they got one cabin built, they rented it as a private honeymoon location. Did really well for the times. Ended up with ten cabins to rent and have continued to be a steady cabin rental locality since they are close to the mountains for hikers, campers, fishermen, and then skiers in the winter. Martin died about three years ago and his wife has run the place by herself with part-time help from her granddaughter, Bethany, when she wasn’t in college.”

Luke stopped and Jack looked over at him. “That’s it? That’s all you got?”

“Not much there, Jack. They pay their bills, the mortgage is paid off, they pay their taxes. The cops have only been called a few times when someone partied too hard, but other than that, there’s nothing.”

Blaise spoke up, “You figure Alzheimer's? Is that what we saw today with Mrs. Bridwell’s confusion?”

With a few more clicks, Luke said, “Nothing yet on her medical record although her insurance claims indicate she’s been to the doctor several times in the past couple of months.”

“What about the granddaughter, Bethany?” Monty added. “She’s a real firecracker.”

Bart laughed, “Jack, you should have seen your face when she came tearing out of the woods like a mama bear.”

“And you caught her in mid-air,” Marc said, joining in the laughter.

Jack grinned at the memory before his body reminded him of the way she felt in his arms. Even as she struggled, his body reacted to hers.

“You got more on the granddaughter?” Monty asked. “I’d like to know what her deal is.”

“No,” Jack said firmly, causing the other seven men to focus on him. Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, he was aware of their perusal. “No one looks into her. Except me.”

The men eyed each other, and grins spread among the group. In the couple of years they had been working together, Jack rarely went home with one of the women from a bar when they had all gone out. While most of them worked hard and played hard, Jack had been the one to go home early wanting to make sure he was doing all he could to build his business.

Luke shut his computer down, said, “Yes, sir.”

“I hate to bring up unpleasant news, but before all this was happening, we were looking into the murders,” Blaise said.

“Exactly,” Jack agreed. “Thank you for helping with this morning and with securing the perimeter again, but Blaise is right. I still need you on task for our next briefing tomorrow morning about the possible serial killer.”

With that, the men dispersed for the day leaving Jack alone.

That evening as the sun descended over the mountains in the background, Bethany settled Ann in one of the rockers before joining her. The Welcome Center officially closed at five p.m., but the renters knew that she lived above the main common area and could be found if needed. Thankfully, it appeared to be a slow evening.

She glanced to the side, watching Gram’s face beaming in the sunset.

“This was your grandfather’s favorite time,” Gram said. “We would sit here and watch the sun set over the mountains and see the colors flash across the lake.” Sighing heavily, she admitted, “I miss him.”

“I know you do, Gram,” Bethany acknowledged, her heart aching for her grandmother’s sadness when the past was remembered and for the loss of her grandmother as the insidious disease was creeping in.

Alzheimer’s. That was what the doctor had said. Early stages of Alzheimer’s like dementia. Bethany had sat numbly as the doctor explained what was happening and what to expect. She had taken Gram in for a checkup when it seemed as though she was forgetting the simplest of things. Running tests and a full exam, the Geriatric Specialist finally gave her the diagnosis and began Gram on medication to slow down the progression of the disease.

Some days were better than others and, thank God, most days were better than this one. Usually, Gram just forgot where she put the vacuum or someone’s receipt. She recognized their returning customers’ faces but began to forget their names. And sometimes she thinks I’m her sister who’s been dead for years. And Charlie? She was calling Jack by the name of Charlie. I’m pretty sure that was Helen’s teenage sweetheart. Shaking her head, she focused on the memory of the tall, handsome man they met today, and she chuckled. I’ll bet we weren’t what he was expecting!

Sighing deeply, she thought about Jack sitting quietly washing Gram’s cuts. How could such a gruff man be so gentle? Her reflections continued as she remembered the way his body felt against hers. I was captured by him, but with ease, not pain. It had been a long time since she had been held by a man. College certainly had its romantic encounters, but once Gram needed more help, she decided to put her business degree to use here at Mountville.

And who has a security fence around their property? What does he do? Jack’s face continued to fill her thoughts until Gram cut in.

“I’m sorry, Bethany.”

Jerking her head to the side, she reached over to clasp her grandmother’s hand. “Oh, Gram. Don’t apologize. Please, it’s okay.”

“I just can’t seem to remember things like I used to. I get so frustrated sometimes.”

Bethany squeezed her grandmother’s hand, fighting the tears prickling her eyes. “I know Gram. The doctor said to give the new medicine several weeks to help and you’ve just started taking it.”

A few vacationers walked by on their way back to the cabins for the evening, calling out greetings as they went.

“Evenin’, beautiful ladies,” Mr. Taylor called, his arm around his wife as his two sons trailed behind.

Bethany waved and acknowledged the family that came to rent from them several times a year. It was nice having returning guests. It not only helped with the finances but gave her a sense that what they were doing must be right.

Mr. Taylor was always so friendly and once he found out Bethany had been in advertising, he would corner her and talk business. The company he worked for was based out of Richmond as well. His wife did not seem to like talking shop, so Bethany and Mr. Taylor would chat when they would visit.

A truck with a couple of men who had been out fishing for the day drove in, stopping in front of the women as Bethany waved them over.

“Have any luck?” she called out.

“Some,” one of them replied with a smile. “Went to Lake Abrell toward the end of the day and had better luck there.”

“Good. Just remember gentlemen, we have a strict nine p.m. quiet time.”

Nodding, the passenger grinned. “Yes, ma’am. You’ll have no trouble from us.”

Giving them a goodbye wave, she watched as their truck continued over the gravel road toward their cabin. The sun had made its final descent, and the fireflies were out in number. Offering Gram a hand, she assisted the woman from her chair and ushered her inside.

It did not take long to settle her grandmother into her bed for the night, making sure she had everything she needed. Downstairs, she locked all the doors after checking the security lights. She went through the motions automatically, her thoughts on the handsome neighbor. Gruff, yet gentle. Powerful, yet held her safely.

Who is he and what does he do? she wondered. Who guards their land with armed men ready to strike? Shaking her head, trying to erase the path her mind was taking, she forced herself to think about work. Sitting at the desk, she ran through the website checking for updated reservations.

Horace Malinski. Oh, he’s coming back. Of course, it’s been about two months. Mr. Malinski had been staying at Mountville for almost four years. He would stay for a week, always keeping to himself. Painfully shy. Or kind of creepy , Bethany had to admit. He would hole up in the cabin, rarely coming out. But he was quiet. Paid in full when making the reservation. And when he drove away, she knew his cabin would be scrubbed clean. In fact, Sally, the cabins’ housekeeper, would come away saying that his cabin was cleaner than she could have ever made it .

Continuing to check the reservations, she grimaced. Eight men sharing two cabins next month. Great. Just great. A bachelor party. Knowing how loud a group of drunk men could become, she clicked confirmed while planning on making them pay a security deposit as well as signing the lease agreement early.

Taking care of the reservations, she moved to the open lodge room. Sally had tidied the room before leaving and there was little for Bethany to do. She walked to the bookcase, filled with paperbacks that residents would read and leave, often adding to the pile with ones they brought from their homes. Finding a romance she had not seen before, she took the book upstairs as she headed to bed.

Once settled, she opened the book and was pleased to discover that it was good. Reading until her eyes began to close, she tossed it on her nightstand and turned off the lamp. As she drifted off to sleep, her dreams were filled with the handsome hero coming to rescue her. Unlike the Viking image on the cover of the book, her dream man was tall, broad, with dark brown hair and a beard. And she could feel his hard, strong body pressed against hers.

Jack sat at his table, his laptop open in front of him. Nothing. Nothing but the basic information. He did not know what he hoped to find, but Bethany Bridwell was still a mystery. His searches came up with a few campus articles written her when she worked on the university newspaper. She had a Facebook page that had been posted to rarely since leaving college. Other than a few likes on some friend’s pictures, there was no activity.

He flipped through some of her last posted photos and saw a few of her with Ann and her grandfather from about five years earlier. Her tan face was beaming as she stood between them, arms around each one.

She had a business degree with a minor in marketing. Having been hired by an advertising company once she graduated, she quit her decent paying job six months ago to move in with her grandmother to help run Mountville. Did she want to? Did she come willingly? Can she handle that on her own?

He dug into her finances, knowing she had taken a serious cut in pay when coming to Mountville. It appeared she had been frugal, having built up a bit in savings but that would quickly be gone if she put her money back into the business. And from the looks of a few of the buildings, they seemed fine, but some upgrading would be needed soon.

Giving himself a mental shake, Jack forced his thoughts back to the activity at hand. Her motives do not matter. All that matters is how she and her grandmother are as neighbors. Can’t have snooping on my property.

But as soon as the dismissive thoughts flew through his mind, he was forced to admit she intrigued him. The women he dated, if an occasional dinner and fuck afterward could be called dating, had been educated and in careers that offered them stability and financial success. While there had not been many, he could not think of one that would give it all up to take care of an elderly relative and certainly not for the difficult labor of running a wooded cabin rental facility. In fact, the last date had ended after dinner, as the woman’s conversation became a list of the financial attributes she expected in a man and then devolved into her diatribe against men unwilling to commit. No thank you, ma’am!

Bethany’s parents, Ed and Susan Bridwell, were professors at a small university in Arizona, but it appeared they kept up with their daughter and Ann. They offer emotional support, but not able to assist with the daily needs that Bethany has taken on.

After a few more detailed, yet unproductive, searches, he closed his laptop. Checking the security of his property, he headed to bed. Taking a shower, he could not get the thoughts of her off his mind. The way his body responded to being held against hers. The protective stance she assumed when guarding Ann. The fierce glare in her eyes that could change to one of affection when aimed at her grandmother. What would it be like to have those eyes turned toward me? To harness that courage and passion.

His dick jumped to life at the thought of having her under him, and he knew his control was not going to make it better. Grasping his cock in his hand, he jerked off under the shower to the idea of making love to Bethany. Making love? Nope, just fucking for me. No time for anything else!

But as he came hard, he could not help but know that anything with the beautiful Ms. Bridwell would never be just a fuck.